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Fossil fuels: Difference between revisions

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===Scarcity===
===Scarcity===
{{basically|Eventual problem}}
{{basically|Eventual problem}}
Oil reserves are [[peak oil|expected to run out]] in less than a century, by most estimates.{{qn}} Coal and natural gas are similar.
Oil reserves are [[peak oil|expected to run out]] in less than a century, by most estimates. Coal and natural gas are similar. {{qn}}
Fossil fuels are not considered renewable{{x|despite being fossilized organic matter that was originally dead plants & animals}}, because existing oil reserves took millions of years to form.
Fossil fuels are not considered renewable{{x|despite being fossilized organic matter that was originally dead plants & animals}}, because existing oil reserves took millions of years to form.


Globally, per person, there is about 31 tonnes of oil (recoverable) somewhere in the Earth. {{ecalc|oil.reserves|(tonnes per capita)(world.population)}}. Average production is about 1.5 kg/day per person {{ecalc|oil.production|(lbs/day per capita)(world.population)}}. Rich countries consume a lot more, poor countries use a lot less.
{{dp
|<nowiki>oil.reserves</nowiki>
|<nowiki>1732 billion barrels oil</nowiki>
|<nowiki>Global petroleum reserves</nowiki>
|<nowiki>"Global proved oil reserves were 1732 billion barrels at the end of 2020 , down 2 billion barrels versus ‎‎2019. The global R/P ratio shows that oil reserves in 2020 accounted for over 50 years of current ‎production. OPEC holds 70.2% of global reserves."</nowiki><br /><nowiki>
Oil | Energy economics | Home - BP</nowiki><br /><nowiki>
www.bp.com › energy-economics › statistical-review-of-world-energy › oil </nowiki>
}}
{{dp
|<nowiki>oil.production</nowiki>
|<nowiki>4439 megatonnes/year</nowiki>
|<nowiki>Crude oil production, worldwide</nowiki>
|<nowiki>Using data from 2019.</nowiki><br /><nowiki>
</nowiki><br /><nowiki>
Source: Key World Energy Statistics 2020 (IEA report)</nowiki>
}}
{{dp
|<nowiki>world.population</nowiki>
|<nowiki>8 billion</nowiki>
|<nowiki>Number of people alive today, globally</nowiki>
|<nowiki>https://www.unfpa.org/data/world-population-dashboard</nowiki><br /><nowiki>
Last updated in 2023</nowiki>
}}
Globally, per person, there is about 31 tonnes of oil (recoverable) somewhere in the Earth {{p|{{calc|oil.reserves|(tonnes per capita)(world.population)}} }}. Average production is about 1.5 kg/day per person {{p|{{calc|oil.production|(kg/day per capita)(world.population)}} }}. Rich countries consume a lot more, poor countries use a lot less.




==Non-energy usage==
==Non-energy usage==
Fossil fuels are also used in making [[plastic]], most of which is [[packaging|disposable]]. Other uses include making thousands of different chemicals, but together they add up to only a small fraction of fossil fuel consumption. {{qn}}
* Fossil fuels are also used in making [[plastic]], most of which is [[packaging|disposable]].
* Other uses include making thousands of different chemicals. This together adds up to only a small fraction of fossil fuel consumption, and does not contribute significantly to climate change. {{qn}}
<!-- TODO: elaborate and split into subsections "plastic" and "other" -->
<!-- TODO: elaborate and split into subsections "plastic" and "other" -->


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Fossil fuels can also be used to make [[hydrogen gas]].
Fossil fuels can also be used to make [[hydrogen gas]].
==Origins==
Coal and oil are formed from organic material (mostly plants, sometimes dead animals) that got buried in the Earth millions of years ago.
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